Most often, email messages are automatically deleted because they were filtered by a spam or an email address blocking filter. The steps you take to troubleshoot your email deletion depends on which email software program you are using.

Check email messages filtered by SpamDetector: Select the SpamDetector folder and scan the email messages it filtered. Email messages tagged as spam are saved in the SpamDetector folder for 4 days before being permanently deleted. Learn more about Verizon Online email retention policies.

Review SpamDetector filters: Review your existing email filters and determine if they are still valid or require changes.

Outlook Express

Try the following solutions to recover your email messages:

Are you checking email from more than one computer? Make sure you specify to save your messages on the Verizon server by checking the Leave a copy of messageson the server setting. This setting allows you to read a message, but save a copy of your messages on the Verizon server. Saving a copy of email messages on the Verizon server allows you access the messages from different computers. Otherwise, anytime you open email messages, they are downloaded to that computer, removed from the Verizon server – and not accessible from any other computer.

Did you set up an automatic delete message rule or archive? Review your message rules and edit any that specify an automatic delete. Also, review your archive folder and note when automatic archives take place. Email messages could be automatically archived when your Inbox meets a certain storage quota.